Cover for telescopic sights



mi 2,657,461? 5R Tiw. LLOYD 2,657,465

COVER FOR TELESCOPIC SIGHTS Filed April 17, 1950 Nbv. 3, 1953 Patented Nov. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to telescopic gun sight protectors of the type commonly employed to protect a telescopic gun sight free from injury by scratching and free from such optic obstruction agencies as snow, rain and dust.

A primary object of this invention is to provide such a telescopic gun sight protector with a distance control means located adjacent the trigger of the gun whereby the gun sight may be conveniently uncovered by the thumb of the hand an instant before the gun is fired with the forefinger.

A further object of my invention is to provide a readily detachable mounting for a telescopic gun sight protector and the actuator therefor whereby but one screw need he removed in order to detach the gun sight, protector, and actuator in one unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide independently movable covers for each end of a telescopic gun sight actuated by independent overcenter spring devices whereby each cover may be positively openedand closed independently of the other cover.

Telescopic gun sight protectors are fast becoming a common item of commerce. Many telescopic sights in use today are equipped with leather protector cups to be secured over each end of the telescopic Sight in order to protect the lens thereof. Such leather protectors are usually joined to one another by a leather strap which is wound about the barrel of the telescopic sight to keep the leather protectors from becoming misplaced. Friction between the leather cover and gun sight is commonly relied upon to hold the covers in place over the lens. I have found such leather covers and straps to be of restricted utility among hunters who employ telescopic sights since the leather covers must be hurriedly removed when the gun sight is to be used. Thus, if a hunter must keep the leather cups in place in order to protect the lens of his telescopic sight from injury and from becoming clouded over by rain or snow, he cannot use the telescopic sight to make a quick shot. Since wild game hunting often presents but a fleeting glimpse of the game, the hunter is presented with the problem of maintaining his telescopic sight ready for instant use. Some hunters fail to use covers over their telescopic sights feeling that the chance of missing even one shot is not worth the protection to the sight offered by the leather covers. Other hunters and inventors have attempted to solve this problem by providing the telescopic gun sight with protective covers which are spring biased to open position and held closed by a catch. The usual method of releasing such a catch is to trip a lever located adjacent the protective cover. Once again, however, such type of a protector offers but a halfway solution to the problem since the hunter must reach up to the top of the telescopic sight and trip the catch before he can make a shot. Even the small amount of time required to thus trip the catch may spoil an otherwise efiective shot at wild game. Accordingly, it is one of the objects of my invention to provide an actuating mechanism for a telescopic gun sight which can be instantly tripped while the gun is held in firing position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a telescopic gun sight protector which is adapted to fit various types of gun sights and mounts therefor, and which is demountable as a unit from the gun sight.

Another object of my invention is to provide a telescopic gun sight with independently movable covers whereby the gun sight may be cleaned in inclement weather by alternately uncovering one end and cleaning the same while leaving the other end covered and thereafter covering the cleaned end and completing the operation by turning the gun sight end for end. Such a cleaning cycle prevents contamination of the cleaned end of the sight while the opposite end is being cleaned.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective side view of a gun having a telescopic sight mounted thereon and employing the sight protector of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 and showing the removable screws which attach the actuator of my invention to the gun stock;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top view of the actuator for the gun sight protector of my invention showing the latch mechanism;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing the movable latch on the actuator of my invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view, partially broken away, showing the overcenter spring device and hood therefor which actuates my invention; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view substantially on line 66 of Fig. 5 showing the mechanism which adapts the protector of my invention for use with any size telescopic gun sight.

The protector of my invention is adapted for use with the usual telescopic gun sight I having a lens at each end thereof and mounted on a hunting rifle 2. The most common means for mounting such a telescopic gun sight on the stock of a gun are fixed mounts, detachable mounts, or swing type mounts. In Fig. 1, I have shown, by way of example, a detachable type mount 3. My invention, however, is equally effective and readily adapted for use with any other type mount. The gun shown in my drawings is a hunting rifle and comprises the usual trigger 4 and stock 5.

Circumferentially attached to the barrel Ia of the gun sight I (see Fig. 6), as by a peripheral flange I secured by screws 8, I have shown the mount 9 for my gun sight protector. Between the flange and the barrel Ia, I prefer to locate a shim 6. This shim may be of any desired thickness to adapt my protector for use with sights of various size. Partially protected by the hood I9 which I secure by screws IIla to my mount 9, is a rotary disk lI shown in Fig. as rotatably mounted on a transverse axle I2. Each of the covers I3 of my invention are adapted to overly, in sealing relationship, one end of the gun sight I and each is secured to a disk II by screws I4 so as to rotate therewith. Thus. when the disk II rotates, the cover I3 secured thereto rotates also. The component parts of each cover I3 are an exterior metal cupped portion I5 and an interior felt covered or soft plastic portion I 6. Operatively connected, as by a pin IT, to a peripheral portion of each disk II is a movable rod I8. This rod extends transversely of the protector mount 9 and terminates in a rearward portion I9 which pierces the wall of each hood Ill at a hole 26. Thus, as the disk I I rotates, the rod I 8 travels in and out of the hole 26 while also describing a vertical to and fro movement about the axle I2 as a center of rotation.

Surrounding each movable rod I8, at the rear ward end thereof, I prefer to locate a compression spring 2|. This spring is held in compression by the rear wall of hood III and by a pin 22 and collar 23 secured upon the rod I8. The compression spring 2I causes the movable rod I8 to act as an overcenter device when the disk I I rotates back and forth past the center of rotation defined by a line from the hole 20 to the axle I2.

Secured to the gun stock 5, I have shown the actuating mechanism for my gun sight protector generally indicated by numeral 24. This mechanism, shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, comprises a flexible cable 25 secured by a swivel connection 21 to the hood protector shown at the left of Fig. 1 and a flexible cable 26 secured by a swivel 28 to the hood protector at the right of Fig. 1. The swivel connections 21 and 26 are deemed expedient because the actuator 24 of my invention is adapted for use with various guns and, accordingly, will be located in various positions with relation to the hood protector depending upon the desires of the hunter concerned.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the ends of the wires 29 and 30, extending through the flexible cables 25 and 26 respectively, are securely joined to a common clip 3|. This clip, shown in dashed outline in Fig. 3, is, in turn, joined by a screw 32 to the center of the trip mechanism 33 of my invention. One end of the trip 33 is furnished with a thumb piece 34 and the other end is rotatably secured by a screw 35 to the casing 36 of my actuator. It should be noted that the screw 35 merely extends through the casin 36 as far as the surface of the gun stock 5 but does not penetrate the gun stock or extend far enough through the casing 36 to mar the highly finished surface of the gun stock.

In order to render the actuator 24 of my invention readily and quickly demountable, I prefer to secure the same to the gun stock by means of two specially constructed screws 3'! and 38. The screw 31 holds the peripheral portion of a recess 39 in the actuator casing 36 to the gun stock by means of a threaded insert 40. Similarly, the screw 38 is a large brass thumb screw and serves the dual purpose of holding the flexible cables 25 and 26 in spaced relationship and attaching the cables securely to the casing 36 and to the gun stock 5 by means of a threaded insert 4'I. Thus, the actuator 24 of my invention can be readily demounted from the gun stock by merely removing the thumb screw 38 and pulling the actuator to the left as seen in Fig. 1 to thereby move the marginal recess 39 from under the screw 31. Furthermore, the actuator can be readily mounted and demounted numerous times without marring the surface of the gun stock since the screws 3! and 38 do not bite into the stock itself but rather sit in the inserts 40 and M.

As best seen in Fig. 5, the end of the wire 29 is secured by a swivel 42 to a bell-crank arm 43 pivoted upon a pin 44. The end of the bel crank arm 43 bears upon but is not secured to the movable rod I8. Furthermore, the bellcrank arm 43 is pivotally connected to the swivel 42. Such connection causes the end portion 45 of the bell-crank arm 43 to move downward when the wire 29 is pulled to the right (see Fig. 5) by the trip 33.

In the operation of my telescopic gun sight protector, the actuator is secured to the gun stock and the mounts are secured to the ends of the gun sight before the hunter begins to stalk his prey. With the covers I3 held in place by the overcenter spring 2 I, the lens of the telescopic sight are completely protected against dust, rain and snow. The telescopic sight therefore does not need to be babied as the hunter climbs and walks through rough or rugged terrain. If the sportmans hunt is successful, he will suddenly come upon some wild game. The usual time available for a killing shot is a matter of but a few seconds since wild game are extremely sensitive and fearful of the presence of man. As the gun of a hunter using my invention is brought to his right shoulder, the left arm is extended along the stock to support the gun and the right hand encircles the stock adjacent the trigger with the thumb of the right hand overlying the top of the stock. The thumb and forefinger of the right hand of the hunter are thus made to cooperate in that the thumb will trip thumb piece 34 of my invention as the gun is brought into position against the right shoulder while the forefinger will be in natural firing position upon the trigger 4 even while the thumb is tripping the thumb piece. When thumb piece 34 is moved to the rear of the actuator casing, it carries with it the trip 33 which pivots about the screw 36 and moves the clip 3| rearwardly also. The clip 3I is secured to both wires 29 and 30. Thus, both covers I3 are caused to be opened simultaneously in a manner now to be described. Since the cover opening mechanism at both ends of the gun sight are identical, it will be sufficient to describe particularly the operation of the opening of the left hand cover only. As wire 29 moves rearwardly (see particularly Fig. 5), it carries the lower end of the bell-crank arm 43 with it. This causes the bell-crank arm 43 to pivot about the pin 44 and to move the end of the crank arm 45 downwardly. The downward movement of the arm end 45 bears upon the movable rod 18 causing it to move downwardly about its pivot in the hole 20. Such movement compresses spring 21 and rotates the disk ll moving the cover l3 upwardly and away from the end of the telescopic sight. When the pin l1, connecting the movable rod [8 and the disk II, has moved down past the line of center connecting the axle l2 and the hole 20, the rod is overcenter and, thereafter, spring 2| expands forcing the disk H to complete its rotation and carry therewith the cover 13 to open position. The open position of the cover I3 is shown in dashed lines in Fig. 1. Since the end of the bellcrank arm 43 merely bears upon the movable rod IS, the hunter must manually close cover l3 after he has made his shot and wishes to again protect the telescopic gun sight.

In the preferred construction of my gun sight protector, the bearing connection between the end 45 of the bell-crank and the movable rod I8 is an important feature since it allows each of the covers 13 to be opened independently. The importance of this construction can best be understood with reference to an example. Thus, let it be assumed that a hunter is using the protective gun sight of my invention in the rain or snow. Under such inclement conditions, repeated openings and closings of the protective cover l3 may allow the lens within the gun sight I to become obscured, as by mist forming over the lens or by snow flakes collecting in the protecting rim of the gun sight. Such conditions will require the hunter to pause in the field and clean both ends of the gun sight I. This is accomplished by turning the rifle vertically and opening Whichever cover is thereby placed lowermost. After this lowermost cover has been opened and the lens has been polished clean by the hunter, the lowermost cover is closed and the rifle is turned end for end. Thereafter, the other cover is manually opened and the lens on that end is polished clean. It should be noted, that during this second polishing step, the lens which had been previously cleaned is protected from the weather because the manual cover at the other end of the gun sight has been closed independently of the cover which is opened. Thus, I have made the independent cover open ing feature within the scope of one of the objects of my invention since, it has been my experience, other covers will not allow this independent movement. As will be understood by one skilled in the art, other mechanical telescopic gun sight protectors employ catches or releases which operatively connect the cover opening mechanisms on each end of the gun sight with one another and, accordingly, such mechanisms require that both ends of the gun sight be uncovered at the same time.

Another feature of my invention lies in the provision of the overcenter spring 2| and the longitudinally movable rod l8. This specific structure has been employed in my invention for a definite reason. Thus, I have found that the more conventional latches are subject to a disadvantage inherent in all latch constructions. That is, those gun sight protectors which employ spring opened protective covers held in closed position by means of a latch or catch often leave the hunter helpless in the field when the actuating mechanism for the latch fails because of a mechanical failure or because of a freezing of the parts in cold damp weather. When such a failure takes place, the hunter must forcibly uncover the ends of his telescopic sight if he is to use the same and such force will break an ordinary catch. In my invention, however, should the actuator 24 fail as by one of the essential elements breaking or as by becoming frozen with ice in cold weather, the cover l3 can still be manually swung open without breaking any of the mechanism since movable rod l8 and the compression spring 2! are independent of the actuator 24. Were such an operation necessary, the entire actuator mechanism, up to and including the end 45 of the bell-crank arm, could remain motionless, yet the covers could be swung open with no damage to the mechanism resulting.

It will now be seen that I have provided, in accord with the objects of my invention, a telescopic gun sight protector adapted for use with many different scopes and for use in inclement weather. The covers of my invention are movable independently of one another and of the actuation mechanism from a closed position covering the gun sight lens to an open position uncovering the lens. Furthermore, the actuating mechanism, covers, and mount are demountable as a unit together with or separate from the gun sight itself.

I claim:

1. In combination with a telescopic sight for a rifle having a stock and a trigger, said telescopic sight having an elongated barrel and a lens arranged at each end of said barrel, protective covers one mounted at each end of said barrel, each of said covers being movable between two selective positions, in one position said cover shielding the lens at that end of said barrel and in the other position uncovering said lens, a rod pivotally carried by each of said covers for movement therewith, a yieldable overcenter means bearing on each rod to hold the corresponding cover at the extremity of that position to which it is moved, and distant tripping means for moving both said rods against the yieldable force of the respective overcenter means, said tripping means including sheathed flexible cables having an actuator element joined to one end thereof and a bell crank joined to the opposite end, said actuator element being mounted upon said rifle stock above said trigger for actuation by the trigger hand.

2. In combination with a telescopic sight for a gun, said telescopic sight having an elongated barrel and a lens arranged at each end of said barrel, protective covers one mounted at each end of said barrel, each of said covers being movable selectively between two positions, in one position said cover shielding the lens at that end of said barrel and in the other position uncovering said lens, a rod pivotally joined to each of said covers, overcenter means operatively joined to each rod yieldably for holding the corresponding cover in that position to which it is moved, and distant tripping means for actuating both of said rods simultaneously against the yieldable hold of the corresponding overcenter means, each of said covers being manually movable from one position to another independently of the other and of said tripping means.

3. In combination with a telescopic sight for a rifle having a stock and a trigger, said telescopic sight having an elongated barrel and a lens arranged at each end of said barrel, protective covers one mounted at each end of said barrel and being hingedly secured thereto, each of said covers being movable selectively into one of two positions, in one position said cover shielding the lens at that end of said barrel and in the other position uncovering said lens, an independent overcenter Spring means operatively joined to each of said covers for holding the same in that position to which it is moved, and distant tripping means for moving said covers simultaneously overcenter from said one position, each of said covers being manually movable from either of said positions to the other position independently of the other cover and of said tripping means, said tripping means being mounted upon the side of said rifle stock above said trigger.

4. A telescopic gun sight protector detachably mounted upon a gun stock, comprising a first movable cover mounted on one end of said sight, a second movable cover means mounted on the other end of said sight for movement independently of said first cover, a first spring bias means connected to said first cover to bias the same to a closed position, a second spring bias means connected to said second cover independently of said first spring bias to bias said second cover to a closed position, and flexible wire actuator means for simultaneously overcoming both said spring biases, said actuator means being detachably mounted upon said gun stock in such a proximate position to the gun trigger that the thumb of the hand used to pull the trigger can reach the actuator means while the trigger finger still contacts the trigger.

5. In combination with a telescopic gun sight having a movable cup-shaped cover sealingly overlaying one end thereof, a centrally rotatable disk mounted on said gun sight, said disk and cover being joined for integral rotation out of overlaying relationship with said gun sight, an overcenter spring means for biasing said disk and cover both into and out of overlaying relationship with said gun sight end to the extremities of rotation thereof, and actuator means for moving said spring means overcenter thereby rotating said cover out of overlaying relationship with said gun sight.

6. In combination with a telescopic gun sight having a movable cup-shaped cover overlaying one end thereof, a centrally rotatable disk mounted on said gun sight, said disk and cover being joined for integral rotation, a movable rod joined at. one end to the periphery of said disk and slidably mounted at the other end, said rod being biased for longitudinal movement towards said disk by a compression spring, and actuator means including a pivotally mounted bell crank lever for moving said rod laterally whereby it 8 will slide within said mounting and move against said spring bias thereby rotating said disk and. cover, sad cover being movabe independent of said actuator means.

7. In combination with a telescopic gun sight having a movable cup-shaped cover sealingly overlaying one end thereof, a disk rotatably mounted centrally on said gun sight, said disk and cover being joined for integral rotation, a movable rod joined at one end to the periphery of said disk and slidably constrained at the other end for longitudinal movement, said rod being biased for longitudinal movement toward said disk by a compression spring, said compression spring being an overcenter spring means for biasing said disk and cover to the extremities of rotation thereof, and actuator means for moving said one end of the rod laterally whereby the rod also moves longitudinally against said spring bias and thereby rotates said disk and cover overcenter.

8. A protective attachment for a telescopic gun sight comprising, lens sealing covers hingedly connected to the ends of said gun sight, a remov able mount carrying said sight, said mount including a gun fastening means removably securable to a gun, distant actuating means including flexible Wires for manipulating said protective covers simultaneously from a protective to an open position, said means including swivels pro- .viding relative rotation to allow the mounting of said gun fastening means for either right or left hand actuation, said gun fastening means securing it upon a gun adjacent the trigger thereof, whereby said mount, covers, actuating means, and trip may be installed and removed as a unit from a gun, each of said covers being movable to either of said positions independently of the other cover.

THOMAS W. LLOYD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,428,478 Dunne Sept. 5, 1922 1,625,006 Wattawa Apr. 19, 1927 2,310,929 Beresky Feb. 16, 1943 2,322,455 Klemperer June 22, 1943 2,325,897 Waltman Aug. 3, 1943 2,456,840 Rogers Dec. 21, 1948 2,514,257 Reavis July 4, 1950 2,522,897 Rotter Sept. 19, 1950 2,534,061 Rogers Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 317,188 Germany Dec. 12, 1919 

